Memorable Moderator Introductions no notes.pptx

How to deliver memorable moderator introductions

1. Memorable Moderator Introductions Lisa Leopold Associate Professor English for Academic and Professional Purposes Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey

2. Agenda

3. Importance of academic oral presentations English becoming almost a global “lingua franca” (Nickerson, 2013) Increased attention to spoken academic communication (Lee, 2016) Strong oral academic communication skills are vital for students’ academic and career success (Shaikh- Lesko , 2014; Evans, 2013)

4. Importance of panel presentations Panel presentations becoming increasingly common at conferences and symposia across disciplines, yet most research focuses on academic oral presentations in science and engineering (Swales, 2004)

5. Challenges of oral presentations for EAP learners Oral presentations extremely challenging for students (Yang, 2010; Bankowski , 2010; Chou, 2011) Presenting in English (Kaur & Ali, 2018) and selecting appropriate language (Chou, 2011) Using formal register (Zappa-Hollman, 2007) Not sounding “academic” enough (Morita, 2000) Understanding disciplinary conventions (Yang, 2010) Little to no familiarity with academic presentations (Barrett & Liu, 2016)

6. Training in academic oral presentations Training in both presentation and academic language skills needed ( Stapa , Murad, & Ahmad, 2014) Lack of research on oral presentation skills, including training methods and materials (De Grez , Valcke , & Roozen , 2009; Evans, 2013; Hardwood, 2005) Importance of models (Yang, 2010) and video clips of successful presentations ( Stapa , Murad, & Ahmad, 2014) Importance of vocabulary instruction because lexical variation influences raters’ perception of students’ oral narratives (Lu, 2012) Participation in a simulated international conference beneficial to students (Tao, 2017)

7. Goals of moderator lesson Enhance genre awareness of moderator introductions Expand vocabulary Elevate spoken register

8. “Noticing” activities (Gilmore, 2007) Analyze moderator introductions: The Economic Crisis, Two Years Later How is the moderator introduction organized? How does the moderator show the issue is significant or newsworthy? How does the moderator build the credibility of panelists? What information does she include about their backgrounds, and what words does she use to introduce their qualifications? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAz2kR1hPzI&t=327s

9. How is the moderator introduction organized? 1. Thanks attendees: “Thank you all for coming today.” 2. Shows the issue is newsworthy References the anniversary of an historical event: “Two years ago we gathered here in Sanders during a period of great tumult.” Describes the scope, urgency, or intensity of the event: “Each day brought new lows for the Dow Jones and new highs for anxiety.” “failed,” “on the brink of collapse, “ “a widespread meltdown could be imminent” 3. Speaks about the role of the host institution: “But fortunately at Harvard we have helped them as we do now to understand how we got where we were and what the future may hold.”

10. How is the moderator introduction organized? 4. Announces the purpose of the panel: “Today, we intend to take advantage of two years’ distance to seek some clarity about the causes of the crisis and the path to recovery.” 5. Introduces the group of panelists: “The five panelists here are not only scholars; they are teachers, and I’m very grateful to them for agreeing to be on this panel today to share their insights and to inform and instruct us about what they have observed from their varied vantage points.” 6. Speaks about the format of the panel and ground rules: “You have been handed index cards […] Let me say a bit about the format. After I introduce the panelists, I will pose some initial questions and moderate discussion and then we’ll have time for your questions at the end.”

11. How is the moderator introduction organized? 7. Returns to the panel’s purpose and relevance: “This global financial crisis has touched us all and we are very fortunate to be able to convene and draw upon the members of our community to help us understand what these two extraordinary years have meant and what the years ahead might bring.” 8. Introduces the panelists: “Now let me briefly introduce our panelists.” 9. Welcomes the panelists: “Please join me in welcoming our panelists.”

12. How does the moderator show the issue is significant or newsworthy? References the anniversary of an historical event: “Two years ago we gathered here in Sanders during a period of great tumult.” Describes the scope, urgency, or intensity of the event: “Each day brought new lows for the Dow Jones and new highs for anxiety.” “failed,” “on the brink of collapse, “ “a widespread meltdown could be imminent”

13. Making an issue newsworthy Reference a current event or trend related to the topic Link the topic to the anniversary of an important historical event Show that the issue is contentious and hotly debated Articulate differing perspectives on the issue Raise unanswered questions about the topic or highlight gaps in the audience’s understanding Show how the topic is relevant to the audience’s interests or priorities Show how the topic reflects or challenges society’s values Cite experts’ or important people’s perspectives on the topic Describe the scope, urgency, or intensity of the issue Show that the topic is concerning because of the negative social, political, or economic impacts it has Show that the topic is promising because of the positive social, political, or economic impacts it has or the opportunities it opens

14. How does the moderator build panelists’ credibility? References panelists’ current positions and prestigious titles: “John Campbell is the Morton L. and Carroll S. Olshan Professor of Economics and Chairman of the Department of Economics.” Names previous positions panelists have held with well-known organizations: “He has served as chief economist at the International Monetary Fund and as a visiting scholar at the Bank of Japan, the World Bank, and the Institute for International Economic Studies in Stockholm.” References prominent individuals the panelist has worked for: “This past year, he served as senior advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury…” Describes panelists’ publications: “He has published more than 80 articles on finance and macroeconomics, including fixed income securities…” / “Her work in this area has affected the design of employer-sponsored savings plans in the United States…and has influenced pension reform legislation both in the U.S. and abroad.” Highlights awards panelists have won: “In 2006, he received the Mincer Lifetime Achievement Prize from the Society for Labor Economics.” Uses descriptive, complimentary adjectives and adverbs: “has written extensively;” “a best-selling book”

15. Building Panelists’ Credibility Prestigious positions the panelist currently holds or formerly held Prominent individuals or organizations the panelist has worked for The panelist’s field of expertise, professional projects and accomplishments (related to the panel) – e.g., start-ups launched, patents earned, cases won Books or articles the panelist has authored (and whether those have been critically acclaimed or translated into other languages) Speaking appearances the panelist has had (on television, at national / international events, at conferences) Accolades, awards, or honors the panelist has received Boards or advisory groups the panelist has served on Consulting projects the panelist has accomplished The reputation the panelist has earned among peers and the larger society The positive impact the panelist’s work has had The number of years the panelist has worked in the field (having a long and distinguished career OR being the youngest judge to be appointed…) The educational background of the panelist: schools attended, degrees earned

16. Additional activities: Making an issue newsworthy

17. “Future of children” briefing policies for children in immigrant families “So they [immigrant children] are a really important ingredient to the American economy and to major sections of American social policy. And yet, as a group, these children are considerably behind native-born children in many measures of performance and achievement and, when they grow up, in employment. So this is an interesting policy issue. Should we do something extra? How should we handle this problem? Should we ignore it, or should we have policy addressed specifically to it? And that’s why we’re assembled today, to answer that question.”

18. Making an issue newsworthy Show how the topic is relevant to the audience’s interests or priorities: “So they [immigrant children] are a really important ingredient to the American economy and to major sections of American social policy.” Show that the topic is concerning because of the negative social, political, or economic impacts it has: “And yet, as a group, these children are considerably behind native-born children in many measures of performance and achievement and, when they grow up, in employment.” Raise unanswered questions about the topic or highlight gaps in the audience’s understanding : “Should we do something extra? How should we handle this problem? Should we ignore it, or should we have policy addressed specifically to it?” Articulate differing perspectives on the issue: “Should we ignore it, or should we have policy addressed specifically to it?”

19. Developing the NIST privacy framework: How can a collaborative process help manage privacy risks? “And this is certainly a timely discussion this morning. We are in the middle of a time of ferment in privacy policy. Most of you probably saw the headline in Politico the week before last, “The Invasion of the Privacy Principles,” as many different organizations in town are working on privacy policy and they’re looking ahead to the prospect of legislation. Tomorrow the Senate Commerce Committee begins what is apparently the first of a series of hearings. Other committees, other members of Congress are at work on bills in one way or another. So that’s really the setting for our discussion this morning.”

20. Making an issue newsworthy Reference a current event or trend related to this topic: And this is certainly a timely discussion this morning […] Most of you probably saw the headline in Politico the week before last, “The Invasion of the Privacy Principles…” Show that the issue is contentious: “We are in the middle of a time of ferment in privacy policy.” Describe the scope, urgency, or intensity of the issue: “… as many different organizations in town are working on privacy policy” / “Tomorrow the Senate Commerce Committee begins what is apparently the first of a series of hearings. Other committees, other members of Congress are at work on bills in one way or another.”

21. Additional activities: Building panelists’ credibility

22. Noticing exercise for building panelists’ credibility Patricia McCormick  is a 2006 finalist for the National Book Award and the author of three critically acclaimed novels— Sold , an account of sexual trafficking,  My Brother's Keeper , a realistic view of teenage substance abuse, and  Cut , an intimate portrait of a teenager's struggle with self-injury. Her books have been translated in a several languages and  Cut  has sold nearly 500,000 copies.  Sold  was named by  Publishers Weekly  as one of Best 100 Books of the Year and was selected by the American Library Association as one of the Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults in 2006. http://www.philoctetes.org/past_programs/on_aggression_the_politics_and_psychobiology_of_genocide

23. Noticing exercise for building panelists’ credibility They're public servants of the highest caliber and set in my mind the perfect example for how even in an America that seems often divided, more divided than unified, they embody the virtues of bipartisanship, respect and civility, and these qualities shine through in them all day, every day. https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/es_20181010_forgotten_americans_transcript.pdf

24. Vocabulary exercise for building panelists’ credibility “Today, I’m joined by two of the country’s leading thinkers and writers on climate change.” What synonyms could be used for leading in this context? prominent, significant, chief, primary, extraordinary, most respected, pioneering, influential Although not direct synonyms, a speaker could also use brilliant, inspiring, or elite.

25. Vocabulary exercise for building panelists’ credibility “He has major fans in a wide range of political leaders including Al Gore, Richard Lugar and Chuck Hagel, the famous author of the Byrd-Hagel Resolution which was a major obstacle during the Kyoto negotiations.” What synonyms could be used for famous in this context? well-known, renowned, eminent, prominent, distinguished, illustrious, celebrated, esteemed, or widely acclaimed

26. Vocabulary exercise for building panelists’ credibility Gi-Wook is a prolific and highly influential scholar whose work has focused on Korean nationalism and politics, Korea's foreign relations, and on historical reconciliation in Northeast Asia. What synonyms could be used for prolific in this context? productive, widely published What synonyms could be used for highly influential in this context? leading, authoritative, prominent file:///C:/Users/lleopold/Downloads/transcriptnorthkoreapanelnoqa.pdf

27. The moderator’s introduction Imagine that you are moderating a panel discussion on a topic of your choice, such as climate change, divorce, immigration, or nuclear non-proliferation. You have invited several experts to speak on the topic, and your responsibility is to introduce one of the experts (who is also one of your classmates!) Imagine your classmate’s life several years into the future: What research has she conducted, what books has she published, what awards has she won, and for what organizations has she worked which make her an esteemed expert? Use your creativity in inventing the panelist’s accomplishments. Speak in formal register and use descriptive adjectives to deliver an eloquent introduction. Include the following components in your introduction (in no particular order): A welcome to the audience and possibly an attention-getter A self-introduction which briefly explains your interest or expertise in the subject An explanation of the purpose of the panel presentation: Is it an inaugural or an annual event? What makes the subject newsworthy? An introduction of the panelist’s expertise and perhaps her area of focus on the panel An explanation of the program’s structure: speaking order, number of minutes each panelist will speak, and procedure for soliciting questions from the audience

28. Peer review: Moderator introduction Was the moderator clear, memorable, comprehensive, and eloquent? What suggestions do you have for improvement? Did the moderator introduction include… A welcome to the audience and possibly an attention-getter A self-introduction of the moderator An explanation of the purpose of the panel and what makes the topic newsworthy An overview of the panelist’s expertise and possibly his / her role on the panel An explanation of the program structure

29. Register feedback Original Won all of the awards So what should we do? And then we will come to the Q&A session Here let me introduce the distinguished experts Revised Was recognized with the distinguished / prestigious awards for…. What is the possible path forward? Then we will proceed with questions from the audience Please allow me to introduce today’s distinguished experts / panelists

30. Register feedback Original She graduated from MIT school. She majored in… …based on the survey she did That’s why she’s very outstanding She’s the best engineer we’ve invited here Help our society become better Revised She graduated from MIT university with a major in…. …based on the survey she conducted That’s why she’s a prominent figure in this field She’s regarded as the (most prominent / distinguished / accomplished) engineer in the world of artificial intelligence today Help improve our society

31. Student moderator introduction: Making an issue newsworthy Reference a current event or trend related to the topic: Describes current news in the mainstream media about “new terrorist acts, catastrophes, diseases, political brinkmanship” Raise unanswered questions about the topic or highlight gaps in the audience’s understanding: “How far can it go? Will humanity pass the point of no return? Will we be able to give a promise to our children that they will live in a safe and secure world, and what’s most important, will we be able to keep that promise?” Show how the topic is relevant to the audience’s interests or priorities: Shows that the issue is relevant to people’s concerns about safety, peace, good health and general well-being. Describe the scope, urgency, or intensity of the issue AND Show that the topic is concerning because of the negative social, political, or economic impacts it has: “The 21 st century has already seen a nuclear weapons state acquiring nuclear weapons. We’ve seen a major incident on the nuclear power plant in Fukushima in Japan. We’ve seen terrorists acquiring weapons of mass destruction. We’ve seen new diseases and new threats appearing and major deterioration of ecology. We’re currently witnessing the emergence of a new cyber sphere with yet unknown threats that it may pose.”

32. Student moderator introduction: Building panelists’ credibility Prestigious positions the panelist currently holds or formerly held AND the number of years the panelist has worked in the field: “…having been head of criminalistics at the Seattle Federal Detention Center for nine years and senior advisor in Guantanamo Detention Camp for more than ten years” Prominent individuals or organizations the panelist has worked for: Seattle Federal Detention Center, Guantanamo Detention Camp The panelist’s field of expertise, professional projects and accomplishments: “Dr. Mo has abundant first-hand experience with the penitentiary system…” Books or articles the panelist has authored: “He is most famous for his book Say No to Abolishment of Death Penalty ” Accolades, awards, or honors the panelist has received AND the positive impact the panelist’s work has had: “…which was an automatic New York best-seller upon its release in 2006.” The reputation the panelist has earned among peers and the larger society: “Dr. Wang is one of the most honored experts in criminalistics alive.”

33. Student reflection “. . .we were forced to move away from our ‘comfort zone’ and learn how to include in our speaking vocabulary words that otherwise we would have never used.”

34. Student reflection “It was very exciting to prepare a type of presentation that I had never done before and learn about the dynamics of it as well as how to get ready for it in a professional way […] I am very happy with all the techniques I learnt, specially about enhancing panelists credibility and how to organize the panel.”

35. Student reflection “I really appreciated this practice because it forced me to craft certain language that I had to use as a moderator.”

36. Challenges Maintaining eye contact while delivering a scripted speech Having sufficient vocal variety while delivering a scripted speech Using formal language

37. References Bankowski , E. (2010). Developing skills for effective academic presentations in EAP. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 22 (2), 187–196. Barrett, N.E. & Liu, G. (2016). Global trends and research aims for English academic oral presentations: Changes, challenges, and opportunities for learning technology. Review of Educational Research, 86 (4), 1227-1271. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654316628296 Chou, M. (2011). The influence of learner strategies on oral presentations: A comparison between group and individual performance. English for Specific Purposes, 30 (4), 272–285. http://dx.doi. org/10.1016/j.esp.2011.04.003 De Grez , L., Valcke , M., & Roozen , I. (2009). The impact of an innovative instructional intervention on the acquisition of oral presentation skills in higher education. Computers & Education, 53, 112-120. Evans, S. (2013). “Just wanna give you guys a bit of an update”: Insider perspectives on business presentations in Hong Kong. English for Specific Purposes, 32 , 195-207. Hardwood, N. (2005). What do we want EAP teaching materials for? Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 4 , 149-161. Kaur, K. & Ali, A.M. (2018). Exploring the genre of academic oral presentations: A critical review. International Journal of Applied Linguistics & English Literature, 7 (1), 152-162.

38. References Lee, J.J. (2016). “There’s intentionality behind it…”: A genre analysis of EAP classroom lessons. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 23, 99-112. Lu, X. (2012). The relationship of lexical richness to the quality of ESL learners’ oral narratives. The Modern Language Journal, 96 (2), 190-208. doi:10.1111/j.1540-4781.2011.01232.x Morita, N. (2000). Discourse socialization through oral classroom activities in a TESL graduate program. TESOL Quarterly, 34 (2), 279-310. Nickerson, C. (2013). English for specific purposes and English as a lingua franca. In B. Paltridge & S. Starfield (Eds.), The handbook of English for specific purposes (pp. 445-460). West Sussex, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Shaikh- Lesko , R. (2014). Science speak: The scientist, Retrieved from https://www.the-scientist.com/careers/science-speak-37073 Stapa , M., Asniza Murad, N. & Ahmad, M. (2014). Engineering technical oral presentation: Voices of the stakeholder. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 118, 463-467. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.02.063 Yang, L. (2010). Doing a group presentation: Negotiations and challenges experienced by five Chinese ESL students of commerce at a Canadian university. Language Teaching Research 14 (2), 141–160. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1362168809353872 Zappa-Hollman, S. (2007). Academic presentations across post-secondary contexts: The discourse socialization of non-native English speakers. Canadian Modern Language Review, 63 (4), 455–485. http://dx.doi.org/10.3138/cmlr.63.4.455

39. Contact information Lisa Leopold Associate Professor English for Academic & Professional Purposes Middlebury Institute of International Studies [email protected]